BY NED GAGAHE
The Solomon Islands government is advocating for increased educational scholarships and expanded youth employment opportunities with New Zealand, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele announced during a recent press conference.
Following discussions during his official visit to New Zealand, Prime Minister Manele highlighted the strong partnership between the two countries, particularly in the areas of education and youth empowerment.
“We shared the idea of increasing the number of scholarships available to Solomon Islands students,” Manele said.
“There are many outstanding young people eager to pursue higher education, and we hope New Zealand will consider expanding its scholarship programs to support them.”
In addition to education, the Prime Minister addressed the need for greater employment opportunities for Solomon Islands youth under New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which currently allows workers to take up short-term contracts in horticulture and viticulture.
“Our youth workers have expressed that the current seven-month contract period is too short. We are requesting that New Zealand extend these contracts to nine months to better suit seasonal work needs,” he explained.
Prime Minister Manele also proposed broadening the scope of work sectors available under the RSE scheme.
“We are looking to explore opportunities in other sectors such as forestry, fish processing, and caregiving,” he said, noting that while caregiver roles already exist with Australia, similar options could be developed with New Zealand.
The Solomon Islands government views these initiatives as vital to empowering its young population and providing sustainable employment pathways that contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele also acknowledged New Zealand’s ongoing support for education and youth programs under the Pacific Community (SPC) and encouraged continued collaboration to nurture the potential of Solomon Islands youth.
He said the government remains optimistic about strengthening its bilateral relations with New Zealand to open more doors for its young people.
